The problem I had with The LEGO Batman Movie was that, while it was funny, it was…for lack of a better word odd to experience this movie that feels like it’s in the same universe as The LEGO Movie (with it’s wonderful conceit of the kid mashing together the worlds), but to never have confirmation/acknowledgement that we are actually in that universe. That lack of confirmation makes me feel like we’re being asked to accept at face-value that non-DC characters were legitimately banished to the Phantom Zone. And that just makes me twitchy lol.

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Started: 3 Dec 2013 Finished: 6 Dec 2013 I know, I know. I shouldn’t have. But I felt oddly compelled when I found it in the library. Like I needed to find out what all the fuss was about. And surprisingly I rather enjoyed it. It was difficult to put down and I’m intrigued enough to check out the rest of the series. Not sure about the movies though; we’ll have to see. 😉 The only frustrating thing was that while reading it I couldn’t get out of my head the way someone else had described the book to me: that it was like reading about two kids not having sex. :-p Anyways: on to the bits from the book that I enjoyed, made me think, and (in one case) frustrated me. Throughout the vast shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so … Continue reading →

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IMDB entry for ‘A Chorus Line (1985)’ So last night we watched the filmed adaptation of A Chorus Line. It wasn’t horrible! 😉 That being said, it is VERY MUCH a product of it’s time. Directed by InGen founder John Hammond (aka Lord Richard Attenborough), right from the DVD menu (with so much synth, we almost started to cry) we could tell this wasn’t going to be very much like the stage production. And then the opening number started and we couldn’t help making comparisons to that Captain EO making of featurette that they play as you wait in line. I mean Mike (I Can Do That) was wearing parachute pants! In the film adaptation, Zach is portrayed by Michael Douglas and apparently either he or Attenborough felt that the movie would be MUCH better if this quintessential ensemble piece was focused very tightly on Zach and Cassie. And they … Continue reading →

Really fun! First prequel that Pixar has done. Great music by Randy Newman. OH MY GOODNESS NATHAN FILLION!!!!! I knew Johnny Worthington sounded familiar, but I couldn’t really place it. Although the same thing happened with all of the voices (except for the big three who came back from the first movie), which is weird (for me anyways). Great tie-in to the existing universe (although one of my cousins pointed out that a line from the first movie presents a problem – spoiler below). In Monsters, Inc., when Mike and Sulley walked through Monstropolis to go to the company, Mike said to Sulley “You’ve been jealous of my good looks since the fourth grade”. In this film, we’re told Mike and Sulley met in college. [In the commentary, director Dan Scanlon explained that there was a lengthy scene that would have followed Mike and Sully throughout their years in elementary … Continue reading →

As good as the Avengers (2012) AND it made good on every promise that The Matrix movies (1999, 2003) made but failed to deliver on (don’t laugh, consider that this is coming from me, a hardcore fan of the Matrix movies). With the death of Zod and Kal-El’s very evident anguish over his actions, I was very much reminded of the Doctor Who episode where The Master dies without regenerating despite Tenant begging him to. That same anguish is in Cavill’s performance, with him knowing that “we’re the only two left, don’t make me do this”. In the same vein as the spoiler, looking back on the music (which was gorgeous), I find myself hearing the 4-beats-drums-of-war from The Master’s mind (Doctor Who). Very interesting commentary from one of my favorite comic book writers, Mark Waid.

A very delightful and poignant romp! My favorite characters were Axel (the actor boyfriend of title character Maggie’s older sister) and Maggie’s father, Tom. Axel’s delivery was just very hilarious and I really enjoyed watching him deal with Maggie’s older sister Wanda and all the craziness that ensues during the play (I felt like I kind of identified with him too). I also kind of identified with Tom (Maggie’s father) merely from the perspective of him being a married man, but he had these really great moments where he just had these stares-into-space reactions that were hilarious. Heck, as long as I’m being honest, I identified with Maggie a little bit as I was worried about my parent’s empty nest syndrome when I got married. For the second time, we chose to sit in the small side section which, while not “ideal” for seeing the show as optimally designed (1316 … Continue reading →

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Absolutely brilliant! Love how the performances are so raw and imperfectly perfect, and that they were allowed to make acting choices since they were all singing live to just a piano accompaniment. And how a lot of the final shots used in the film are like complete 2-3 minute takes. And you’re in their face, feeling the emotion pour out of them. Just…gah! Brilliant. Russel Crowe was just as imperfect as the rest of them, stop whinging about it! It’s been interesting to hear opinions/reflections from others though. Most interesting to consider that the film is more of a love letter to Les Miserables than amazing cinema. I mean definitely worth seeing once, but other than that, it’s kind of unadventurous as cinema. The cameras kind of just swallow the actors. Someone from The New Yorker offers up a sarcasm laden fest regarding why Les Mis isn’t any good. And … Continue reading →

I like Bofur, Balin, and maybe Dwalin. Possibly Ori’s face. 😉 Love, love, LOVE the Misty Mountains! Love that its the prequel trilogy theme. Also love the restrained callbacks to the original trilogy (only when it fits PERFECTLY). Add to this the fact that the songs are coming 99% directly from the text and I’m pleased as punch (that 1% is for making the song structures more palatable to human ears *wink*). Blunt the knives also makes me grin. Yay Lee Pace as Thranduril! Love seeing the Piemaker not interacting with stupid talking dogs. I also love how Peter Jackson is bringing in all these disparate pieces from Tolkien’s mythology (instead of Gandalf just going away and returning with a one sentence summary of what he did). It’s like he’s trying to construct the prequel trilogy that our generation deserves! Yay Andy Serkis as the second unit director! I mean … Continue reading →

Started: 27 November 2012 Finished: 28th November 2012 Excellent continuation of the overall story, but…I had some definite “Disney” issues with this one. On the front cover of the book (hardcover edition at least) is a picture depicting a scene from the book (starts somewhere around page 128). This image depicts Judge Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame threatening one of the Kingdom Keepers. But when he actually makes his debut in that scene…it’s really weird. He is described as wearing clothes that sound more like something Captain Hook would wear. And then he’s speaking in a French accent! How is that a realization of the character Disney created (voiced by the phenomenally talented Tony Jay)?!? On page 290, the Keepers are back in EPCOT and are splitting up into teams to get to two pavilions: China and Morroco. But as we follow them past the pavilions: they’re … Continue reading →

Started: 31 October, 2012 Finished: 3 November, 2012 Another excellent addition to the saga, although it was a bit like leaving us waiting for the other shoe to drop at the end. Thankfully the other book was already available and we were able to move right along to it! And as far as I can remember, nothing really “wrong”, at least not that this Disney nerd noticed.